Innovations in the discourse of music education philosophy development in Mainland China during 1990–2021

Purpose This corpus-based literature analysis critically reviews the nature and development of key features of the discourse on music education philosophy (MEP) in China over the past three decades from the 1990s. Design/methodology/approach The research is derived from a comprehensive systematic literature review project, in which the foundational empirical phase adopted a text-mining approach to investigate this discourse of 346 Chinese academic articles published in the 1990s. Findings While the corpus-based text analysis yielded six prominent topics: Aesthetics, Praxis, Confucianism, Teaching and Learning, Values (of music education), and Influence factors (in music education), the publication metadata analysis reveals three distinct developmental phases: (1) a foundational period (1990s–2002) establishing ideological and pedagogical frameworks; (2) a theoretical expansion phase (2003–2005) marked by the integration of Confucian and Western philosophies; and (3) a maturation stage (2006–2021) prioritising applied research and pedagogical innovation. Moving decisively beyond prior descriptive analyses, this study further provides an original, systematic historical and philosophical critique that has not been undertaken before. Based on the empirical evidence, it (1) uncovers three critical concerns (translation, logic, and philosophical dissonances) that destabilise MEP discourse, and (2) reveals that academic discourse substantially impacts national music education policymaking and its implementation. Practical implications The study also moves beyond philosophical narration to offer a historical overlook and a critical lens for shaping policy and practice, highlighting implications for curriculum frameworks, teacher education, and assessment. Originality/value It demonstrates the methodological value of corpus-based critical review for tracing discursive shifts and tensions in educational philosophy, while stressing the urgent need for conceptual clarity and theoretical innovation to sustain MEP's theoretical rigour during China's socio-intellectual transformations.